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News
For women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants, putting off preventive ovary removal surgery significantly raises their lifetime ovarian cancer risk, a large new study confirms. A 30-year-old BRCA1 carrier who delays surgery until age 50 still faces a nearly 24% lifetime risk. The findings are designed to help guide more personalized, timely conversations between patients and their doctors about when to act.
For women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants, the longer they wait to undergo preventive bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO — surgical removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes), the higher their lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer. A large prospective study published in JAMA Surgery, tracking over 5,700 women across 24 international centers from 1995 to 2024, puts hard numbers to that risk — and they're striking.
The findings reinforce current guidelines recommending BSO by ages 35–40 for BRCA1 carriers and 40–45 for BRCA2 carriers, while also making the case that even older women in good health shouldn't automatically rule out the surgery. Researchers note that individualized counseling should weigh residual cancer risk alongside factors like fertility goals, menopausal impact, and overall quality of life.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: These age-specific risk estimates give clinicians and patients a clearer, more personalized roadmap for deciding when to pursue risk-reducing surgery. With more young "previvors" being identified through genetic testing, having precise data is critical for balancing cancer prevention against quality-of-life considerations like fertility and surgical menopause.
